Elapsed time recorder



P 1942' c. E. CONNOLLY 2,294,739

-' ELARSED TIME RECORDER Filed Sept. 17, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT'ToRNEYep 1, c. E. CONNOLLY ELAPSED TIME RECORDER 9 SheeCs-Sheet 3 Filed Sept.17, 1941 FIG.3.

A'rTo RNEY:

Sept. 1, 1942. c. E. CONNOLLY ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed Sept. 17, 19419 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTCR l 1942- C.VE. CONNOLLY 2,294,739

ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed Sept. 17, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGS.

ATTORNEY P 1, 1942' c. E. CONNOLLY 2,294,739

ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed Sept. 17, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet'G FIG.6.

gNV NTOR A TTORNE Y c. E. CONNOLLY ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed Sept.1'7, '1941 Sept. 1, 1942.

9 SheetS -Sheet 7 F IG.7.

ll illllll ll I Isa R O T N E V 1 m A ORNEY P 1942- c. E. CONNOLLY2,294,739

ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed Sept. 17, 1941 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 j EVENTORAT-TORNEY Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED STATE s PATENGT OFFICE ELAPSEDTIME RECORDER Charles 1:. Connolly, Endlcott,

International Business Maohin New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication September 11,1041, Serial No. 411,241 Claims. (01. 231-43)determined time-out periods may be automatically deducted from thiselapsed time.

According to the invention, the starting time of a job is recorded byinserting a record card in the machine and depressing an operatinghandle. The printing of the starting time is accompanied by the punchingof two holes in the card in predetermined locations dependent upon thecondition of a pair of elapsed time typewheels. The operating handle isthen released, permitting the operator to remove the card. 'Forobtaining the stopping time and elapsedtime at the end of the job, thecard is inserted upside down. The holes in' the card are then eifectiveto set up the elapsed time type-wheels for printing the elapsed tme. Thestopping time is merely a straight time recording proposition. The cardis provided with a cut corner so that the machine may sense whether thecard is being inserted for the startlag time or stoppin time of a job.-

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention andthe best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the machine with the covers removed.

Fi 2 is a sectional view taken front to rear at a pointiust inside ofthe right side frame.

Fig. 3 is a section taken from front to rear at approximately the centerof the machine.

F18. 4 is asectional view taken from left to right Just in front of thecarriage mechanism of the machine.

Fi Bis an enlarged detail view of the drive gearing of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a right elevation view of the machine.

Figs. 7 to 9 are detail views of the borrow mechanism.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views of the program device in the locked andoperated positions, respectively.

Fig. 12 illustrates a typical form of record card.

Fig. 13 is a circuit diagram of the machine.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to .Fig. l, the machineshown there is mounted on a base ll. The various units of the I the daytypewheel one position.

N. Y alsignor to es Corporation,

individually under appropriate headings to promote a clearerunderstanding of the invention.

Time typewheel and punch selection drive The timekeeping mechanism iscontrolled by a synchronous motor ".(Flg. 3) driving through a train ofgears including gear ll connected to the rotor its of the motor, gearsll, II, 2|. 2| and 1!. through a frictional coupling comprising a flatspring 23 and hub 24 (Fig. 5) on shaft 2|. gear 28 keyed to the hub, 24,gear 21 connected to' shaft 28 through coupling 20, and gear llconnected to theminute unit type gear II. The arrangement is such thatthrough the mechanism just traced the minute units typewheel 82 advancescontinuously atthe rate of one type position per minute. A ten minutestypewheel I3 and an hour typewheel 34 are operated through Genevatransfer pinions 35. Thetime is carried to the day typewheel 39 byfurther transfer means comprising a cam 36 (Fig. 3) and a cam followerand pawl assembly 31 cooperating with the cam and also with a ratchet 38attached to the day typewheel. Cam 38 makes one revolution everytwenty-four hours to cause steppingof The month typewheel 40 (Fig. 5) isset manually. Mechanism of this sort for shifting the typewheels inaccordance with time is conventional in the time recording art.

The elapsed time is entered into the elapsed time typewheels by movementderived from a cam driven by the motor drive-gearing previouslydescribed as far as gear 26, then throughidler gear 46 carried by aplate [I which is suspended from shaft 25 and gear ll and collar 0 tocam 45. The cam I, collar 48, and gear ll are loosely mounted on a shaftII to which gears II and 22' of the motor drive gear train are secured.Apawl slide 5| '(l 'ig. 2) is thrown from the high pointofcam l5everysixminutesbya connecting spring I2, allowing a pawl l3, pivoted tothe upper end of slide ii, to feed a ratchet 54 one tooth. Ratchet i4 isgeared with the elapsed tenths-of-hours typewheel I (Fig. 5) whichtransfers to the elapsed hours typewheel at through the medium of aGeneva pinion'll. An'overthrow latch 58 (Fig. 2) is operated by the pawl53 as the latter strikes a pin I. on the latch machine are supportedgenerally between side to throw the latch into the path of the nexttooth of ratchet It.

The elapsed tenths-of-hours typewheel u (ins. J

5) is keyed to a shaft 00 which drives the tenths punch selector shaftOI through bevel gears I! and 63. Shaft Ii transfers once every revolution into the hours punch selector shaft ll by means of Geneva transferpinion 8| operated from a single toothed member I! on shaft ll.

The clockhandsi'landllaredrivenbyasecondary movement. represented as 48.(Fig. 2),

which is frictionally driven from the motor drive gearing throughconnection with a gear 65 (Fig. 5) which in turn connects with the motordrive gear train through gears I and II and hub 24.

Carriage and operating handle The operating handle I is normally heldagainst a stop I6 (Fig. 4) by the energy stored in a spiral spring I'I(Fig. 6). The spring is geared to a rack I8 riveted to the handle I5through a gear IS on which thespring is mounted, a gear 80 fixed to ashort shaft 8|, and a gear 82 also secured to shaft 8| (Fig. 2) whichmeshes with the teeth of the rack I6. The large gear train representedby gears 83, 84, 85 and 86 serves to restrain or govern the effect ofthe spring 11 on the movement of the rack I8.

In the normal position, the operating handle I5 holds a spring-biasedgripper 90 (Fig. 4) open.

The initial movement of the handle permits the gripper to clamp thelower edge of an inserted card between a carriage plate 92 and thegripper. After a short period of movement of the handle, a spring 93connected between the carriage and the handle provides an additionalbias on the gripper 90 and also holds the carriage 92 against the lowersurface of the operating handle.

During the first portion of the carriage travel, safety latch 94 (Fig.2) is released allowing a spring 95 to hold it in such a position as tolock out the tenths feed slide 5I, thereby preventing time entries frombeing made in the elapsed time wheels while the carriage is displacedfrom its home position.

The first movement of the carriage 92 also cams the elapsed timetransfer pinion 51 out of mesh with the typewheel gears, leaving themfree to be reversed by the elapsed tim racks 99 and I00 as will beexplained later. This camming-out is accompanied through arm 50aoperating off the carriage.

As the carriage 92 continues to move, it strikes the tail of the tenthsfeed pawl 53, camming the pawl out of the path of the ratchet 54, andthereby maintaining a clearance between the pawl and ratchet to preventan undesirable ratcheting" condition from occurring when the typewheelsare reversed.

A cam I02 (Fig. 2) pinned to a short shaft I03, is rotated as the handleI5 is depressed, causing operation of a cam follower arm I04 which isconnected to a rotatable shaft I05. Arms I06 and I01 are also secured toshaft I05 and are actuated when shaft I05 is rocked by the cam I02acting through follower arm I04. Arm I08 (Fig. 3) is also actuatedthrough link I08a when shaft I05 is rocked. The actuation of arms I06,I01, and I08 causes the arms to tension springs I09, H0, and I I I,respectively, which are normally without tension.

Included in the train of gears which restrict the speed of manualoperation of handle I5 is a slip clutch generally designated II5 (Fig.6). The purpose of this clutch is to take up any sudden strains producedby starting or stopping the handle suddenly.

Punch mechanism Punch selection is controlled by the selector shaft's SIand 64 by means of their differentially located pins (Ma and 64a,respectively, which are synchronized with the elapsed time wheels. Powermeans for the punching operation is supplied by punch solenoid I which,when energized, releases a pivoted latch I2I, thereby permitting aspring III to pull punch link I25 down so as to cause toggle links I22and I24 to cross center. As the toggles are operated in this manner, thepunch guide plate I25, stripper plate I25 and punch die plate I21 aremoved forward. Since there is nothing in their paths, all of the punchesI50, except two, are stopped by their respective interposer pins 5Ia and64a, and the two stationary punches are forced through the card. As thetoggles go beyond center, they restore plates I25, I26 and I2! to theiroriginal-position. This action strips the card from the two puncheswhich have penetrated it by reason of a fixed bar I24 which holds backthe punches.

toggles I22 and I24 back across center, camming toe I29 on punch linkI23 past the punch latch I 2| and thereby restoring the punchingmechanism to the normal position.

Printing mechanism When the punch latch I2I (Fig. 3) is operated by thepunch solenoid I20 acting on arm I I9, movement is transferred throughan arm I40 and a link I4I to the start and stop print hammer latch I42to cause unlatching the print hammer operating arm I43. As this occurs,spring IIO urges arm I43 forward against a stop I45. Start and stopprint hammer I46 is carried forward with the operating arm I43, therebystretching return spring H1. The print hammer continues forward underits own momentum until it strikes the typewheels and settles back torest on operating arm I43.

Hammer I46 and arm I45 are restored to their normal, latched position bythe tension of overthrow spring I41 during the upstroke of the handle I5when tension is removed from spring IIO.

A solenoid I50 (Fig. 2,), when energized, provides the power foreffecting the printing operation in that it trips a latch I 49 which, inturn, operates latch I 42, allowing both the stop and start print hammerI46 and the elapsed time print hammer I48 to operate. The action of bothhammers is the same.

Borrow mechanism camming surface I55 on borrow arm I56 causing theactuation of borrow bail I51 and the unlatching of borrow rack latchI60. This permits borrow rack I 6| to drop two teeth so as to reversethe elapsed hours typewheel one additional space.

Borrow rack IlI is restored to normal byfa: block I82 on the carriage82. Block I82 also he sensingpawls 8I clear ofthecarduntilcarriage 92has started the down strobe.

A cam arm I08 is provided to restore borrow rack latch I80 to its normalposition by working against pin I84. The arm III is flexible and remainsso until locked between arms I88 and rack 88, when rack 98 is raised byblock I82 on carriage 82. This prevents borrow rack latch I80 fromwedging against the back of borrow rack I8I. Arm I85 also serves to holdrack contacts I88 open until rack 88 is carried down by carriage 82.

Ribbon feed and reverse The ribbon is fed by a pawl I01 (Fig. 1) workingon a ratchet I88 and operated by an arm I88 which, in turn, is operatedby the surface of cam I10 on the operating handle II. The ribbon ismounted on spools I and unwound alternately from one to the other in anyconventional manner. As this mechanism forms no part of the instantinvention, it is believed that further description is unneces- 8817.

Prog am device Provision is made for controlling time-out periods bymeans of a program cam I84 (Figs. 10 and 11). when a cam arm I88 dropsto a low level in the periphery of cam I84, it allows latch I88 toengage in a notch I81 on the elapsed tenths feed slide, preventing theslide from functioning until the arm I8! is cammed back to a higherlevel on cam I80.

The program device may be disabled by depressing an arm I88. Thislatches arm I88 behind latch point I80 on latch arm I8I until it iskicked off by the toe I82 on cam IN. While in the latched position, adog I88 is interposed in the path of toe I84 on cam arm I80, preventingthe latter from dropping to a lower level on cam I84. I

Typeioheel detents and minute flnde A pair of typewheel detents I05 andI88 serve to keep the elapsed typewheels in position during the timebetween disengaging transfer pinion I1 and en aging racks 88 and'I00.

overthrowing of the typewheels on the return stroke of racks 88 and I isalso prevented by locking detents I88 and I88 between gear II: andsurface I88 on rack ",or between gear III and cam surface I88 onrack I00as the case may b The locking action takes place just as the last toothon the particular rack is leaving its gear. Also, the gears arepositioned positively to receive the racks on the down stroke of thecarriage.

Detents I88 and I8! are locked by a locking bail 20s at the end of thedown stroke by means of a toe "I on the carriage 82, operating on an arm202. The motion of arm 202 is (Fig. 2) transmitted to lock bail 288through link 208, operating arm 2, and shaft 200. This locking actionprevents racks 88 and I00 from overthrowing at the end of the downstroke.

The movement of arm 202 also operates the minute finder link 208 whichaligns the minute units typewheel at the previous minute by reversingthe minute nnder ratchet 201 until the ratchet locks itself between theleading end 208 finder link us is withdrawn from ratchet m,

the typewheel'is restored to its former position 16 and Ill and iswound.

by spring 2";

1 Electrical control devices Double start contacts-When the handle I! isoperated and begins its downward movement. it allows arm I38 (Fig. 3) tofall away from toe 2I'l onarm2il. Thispermits asensing pawl!" to pressagainst the back of the card. Contacts 220 are arranged to be operatedin accordance with the position of the pawl 2Il and, for the conditionjust described, the contacts areheld closed. If there is a hole alreadypunched in the card, pawl I I 0 enters the hole and is pulled downacross center. This permits contacts 220 to open and thereby preventenergization of the punch solenoid I20. The circuit will be consideredlater. It will be appreciated that the function of contacts 220 is toprevent a second punching operation from occurring if the perforatedcard is relnsertedin the same way in-the card receiver.

Current Iailure-solenoid.-Solenoid 228 is energized when button 222 isdepressed and normally remains energized at all times except, of course,.when there is a power failure. A plunger 224 is moved by the energizedsolenoid 223 so as to be out of'the path of the card, leaving the cardguide 225 open. When a power failure occurs, solenoid 228 releasesplunger 224 which then assumes a position to prevent any insertion of atime card. Master contacts-The master contacts 231 (Fig. 2) are closedby the card operating on toe 238 of lever 239. The function of thesecontacts is to insure against operating the machine without a card orwith a card only partly inserted.

General operation and circuits Starting operation-When checking in, theemployee inserts his card in the card receiver 220 with the cut-oflcorner in the lower right hand corner as indicated on the face of thecard (Fig. 12). The handle 15 is then pushed down operating a. cardgripper 90 which pulls the card down into the machine. Upon reading itsextreme lower position, the cut-off comer of the card is sensed by apair of contacts designated 2 and 2I8, thus selecting the punching andprinting solenoid I20 for energization. The circuit is shown in Fig. 13and is traceable from positive line 2I6, master contacts 231 which arenow closed, upper and center straps of contacts 2I5.

contacts 220, solenoid I20 to negative line 226.

- are driven in synchronism with the elapsed timeandtheback208ofthefinderiink20l. There-- typewheels.

The handle 15 is then released, allowing the card to return under theurging of spring II to a position where it may be retrieved by theoperator, and restoring the machine to its normal condition ready forthe next operator to check in or out as may be required.

Stopping operatton.1n checking out," the procedure is much the same aschecking in," except that the card is inserted upside down. Since thisbrings the holes, already punched in the card during the "checking inoperation, to the right side of the machine the sensing pawls OI (Fig.8)

are allowed to drop into the holes 235 in the carriage 92 during itsdownward travel, thereby pulling the racks 99 and I down with them. Asthe racks move down, they mesh with gears I I2 and H3 connected to theelapsed time wheels 55 and 56 and cause reverse movement of these wheelsto an extent equal to the time indicated on the wheels at the checkingin operation. This causes the wheels to be positioned for printing thetime elapsed between the checking in" and checking out" operations.

Because the cut-off corner on the card is at the top during the checkingout operation, it is not sensed by contacts 2M and H5. As a result,contacts 2M and 2I5 are operated by the full corner of the card to causeenergization of print solenoid I59 by a circuit from positive line 2l6,contacts 237 now closed, contacts 2 also closed, center and lower strapsof contacts 2 I 5, rack contacts H56 which are closed by the positionedracks, solenoid I50, to negative line 226. The energization of solenoidI50 causes the machine to print elapsed time and stopping time on theopposite end of the card from the end on which the starting time wasprinted. The upstroke of the carriage again restores the machine tonormal.

The synchronous motor [8 is continuously running as indicated by itsdirect connections across the line. The power failure solenoid isenergized after a power failure through button contacts 222 and heldenergized through parallel contacts 226. The solenoid is shown in itsnormally energized position with plunger 224 attracted and contacts 226closed.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamentalnovel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, itwill be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changesin the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operationmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limitedonly as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An elapsed time recorder comprising, in combination, a card receiveradapted to receive a record card, a manual operating handle forinserting the card fully into the receiver when the handle is operated,time-controlled card perforating means, means for determining whetherthe card has been inserted in a predetermined manner to control theoperation of the perforating means accordingly to make perforations inthe card representative of the starting time, a plurality of elapsedtime wheels, and means for sensing the perforations when the perforatedcard is reinserted in a different predetermined manner for rotating saidelapsed time wheels to differential extents dependent upon the locationof the perforations, and elapsed time printing means effective uponpositioning of said wheels to print elapsed time.

2. An elapsed time recorder comprising, in combination, a card receiveradapted to receive a record card, a manual operating handle forinserting the card fully into the receiver when the handle is operated,time-controlled card punching means, means for determining whether thecard has been inserted in the correct predetermined position to controlthe operation of the punching means accordingly to perforate the card torepresent starting time, a plurality of elapsed time wheels, and meansfor sensing the perforations when the perforated card is reinserted in adifferent predetermined position, a plurality of racks connected betweenthe sensing means and the elapsed time wheels for rotating said elapsedtime wheels to differential extents dependent upon the location of theperforations, and elapsed time printing means effective upon positioningof said wheels to print elapsed time.

3. An elapsed time recorder comprising, in combination, a card receiveradapted to receive a record card, an operating handle, a gripper devicefor gripping the card for movement into the receiver when the handle isoperated, combinational time printing and punching means, electricalmeans for determining whether the card has been inserted in the correctpredetermined position to control the operation of the printing andpunching means accordingly to print starting time and perforate the cardin a characteristic manner, a plurality of elapsed time wheels, aplurality of sensing fingers for the perforations when the perforatedcard is reinserted in a different predetermined position for rotatingsaid elapsed time wheels to differential extents dependent upon thelocation of the perforations, and elapsed time printing means effectiveupon positioning of said wheels to print elapsed time.

4. An elapsed time recorder comprising, in combination, a card receiveradapted to receive a record card, an operating handle, a gripper devicefor gripping the card for insertion into the receiver when the handle isoperated, combinational time printing and punching means, electricalmeans for determining whether the card has been inserted in the correctpredetermined position for controlling the operation of the printing andpunching means accordingly to print starting time an perforate the cardin a corresponding manner, a plurality of elapsed time wheels, means forsensing the perforations when the perforated card is reinserted in adifferent predetermined position for rotating said elapsed time wheelsto differential extents dependent upon the location of the perforations,and elapsed time printing means effective upon positioning of saidwheels to print elapsed time. A

5. An elapsed time recorder comprising, in combination, a card receiveradapted to receive a record card, an operating handle, a gripper devicefor gripping the card for insertion into the receiver when the handle isoperated, combinational time printing and punching means, a pair ofelectrical contacts normally extending into the path of the card fordetermining whether the card has been inserted in a normal position tocontrol the operation of the printing and punching means accordingly toprint startingtime and perforate the card in a corresponding manner, aplurality of elapsed time wheels, sensing elements having mechanicalconnection with the elapsed time wheels for sensing the perforationswhen the perforated card is reinserted opposite end to the normalposition and for rotating said elapsed time wheels to differentialextents dependent upon the location of the perforations, elapsed timeprinting means effective upon positioning of said wheels to printelapsed time, the time printing means becoming effective to print thestopping time.

CHARLES E. CONNOLLY.

